Mental illness is a largely invisible illness. You do not see scars or cuts. There is no cast to show others that you are hurting. It lives behind masks of “I’m okay” or “I’m good, just tired.” It is something that touches all of us… If you personally do not struggle with your mental health, you have friends or family that do.
Mental health is not talked about enough, it is something that is not voiced or expressed. When Capital Credit Union decided to partner with mental health organizations, we knew that we wanted to start the conversation about mental health and mental illness. We wanted to help remove the stigma and wanted to encourage people to voice what they are truly feeling inside.
How many times have we been asked, “How are you?” to which we reflexively respond, “Oh, I’m fine” or “I’m good” or “I’m okay”? We are all guilty of it, even if those words are not how we are actually feeling. But to even start the mental health conversation, we need to let our inner voices out. Those voices that are saying “I’m not okay” or “I’m not fine.” The honest responses that we fear the response to.
That is where the inspiration for our Inner Voice Out Fundraiser came from. Encouraging the conversation, removing the stigma behind letting our inner voices out, and making it known that it is perfectly okay to not be okay.
Inner Voice Out kicked off on May 2nd, officially beginning our partnership with Samaritan Counseling Center and Foundations Health & Wholeness. Throughout the month of May, our branches and departments worked hard to help raise funds to support mental health and provide equal access to quality mental health services. We could not be prouder to be working with those who aim to help others let their inner voices out, every single day.
We will not be able to eliminate mental health or mental illness. We know that. But by starting this conversation and supporting organizations that make it their mission to support those who are struggling, we can allow others to let their inner voice out. Mental health and mental illness may always be invisible, but they don’t need to be silent, too.
